Jaded Dice
by Neko-chan -Silvered Tongue
Summary: [Written for PM!] A heart made of jade has to be one of the hardest things to reach...but what happens if the least likely of people actually decides to try? Shounen-ai! Shounen-ai! *dances* (Mainly) Honda/Otogi!
1. Snake Eyes

Jaded Dice

By: Neko-chan

  
  


A/N: Well, this story is dedicated to Pikachumaniac because of several reasons. She's such a great person and I love talking with her, she's such a talented authoress (though she doesn't think so... *SMACK*), and she was the one who got me interested in Honda/Otogi. (And, as PM would say: NOT Otogi/Honda! HONDA/Otogi! LOL! Saaa... D) And--PM! I want my "Spring Tulips"!!! ;_; *pout pout pout* If I don't eventually get it, I'll change the pairings of the second chapter of this and make it OTOGI/Honda! *evil grin*

Yami: No wonder PM says that you're evil. Also... *stuffs a sock in her mouth* Urusei, baka.

...¬.¬;;

WARNING: SHOUNEN-AI!!! Honda/Otogi! (And if my threat's carried out...Otogi/Honda. ;-p HA!)

DISCLAIMER: *pokes Black Magician* Blaaa~aaackie! *evil grin*

BM: *hates this part of a fic* ... *sighs* Neko-chan doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!.

...that's IT?!

BM: *nods* Of course it is. I stated a fact that was straight to the point (and legal), so why should I continue on from that point? *raises eyebrow*

..._

  
  
  
  


Chapter One

The pair of dice rolled across the table, finally stopping after several seconds of movement. The one of the left completely stopped--the number that it displayed was one. The die on the right, however, continued to spin on a corner, going around and around and around...seeming as if it would never stop. But finally it did. And the number that it displayed was, like its previous partner, one.

Snake eyes.

A pair of emerald green eyes frowned at this. Ryuuji Otogi was considered by many a genius with dice--and he had never rolled snake eyes before, whether accidental or on purpose. But was that a good sign...or was that a bad sign? Still frowning, he scooped up the dice and tossed them in his hand, comforted by the sound they made when they clicked together. It was a sharp sound--but he liked it. That particular sound drowned out all of his other thoughts...something that he was grateful for lately.

The door to his office softly clicked open, but Ryuuji preferred to ignore it, still absently staring out the window at the bright and sunny day. "Otogi-san?" his personal manservant inquired softly. Sighing to himself, Ryuuji crossed his ankles and debated on whether or not he could ignore his 'intruder'.

As much as Ryuuji wanted to be left alone, he couldn't do that to Tsukiko-san. He wasn't exactly a manservant--per say, at least. The elderly man had been with Ryuuji since he had opened his shop, helping with accounts, customers, media, and the like. The black-haired young man knew that without Tsukiko, he probably wouldn't have survived the first several months of running his own business. And so he turned around.

"Nani, Tsukiko-san?" Ryuuji asked, raising an elegant eyebrow as he did so.

The older man (whenever Ryuuji thought of Tsukiko, the word 'old world-ly' continued to pop into his mind) smiled slightly and bowed. "Do you remember Yuugi-minna from several weeks ago, Otogi-san?"

Ryuuji blinked. "Hai. Of course I do. Why?"

Tsukiko continued to smile that small smile of his. "Well... As Otogi-san will remember, you promised to teach them how to play DDM if they so asked. One of Yuugi-minna is here. I believe... I believe that his name is Hiroto Honda. He seems a tad bit nervous, so I would suggest that you go downstairs right now and make him feel welcome."

At this, both of Ryuuji's eyebrows shot up. If he hadn't known Tsukiko better...that would have sounded like a command. In fact, it still DID sound like a command, no matter HOW well Ryuuji knew Tsukiko. His green eyes narrowed marginally and he stood up, stretching like a cat as he did so.

When he finally finished, Tsukiko cocked an eyebrow at him and did something Ryuuji never thought was possible--he grinned mischievously. "Well, if are now done grandstanding, Otogi-san, Honda-kun is waiting for you. If you need me, just call. Ja ne, Otogi-san." And, with that, he seemed to...vanish.

Ryuuji sighed and made his way out of the doorway. Though he wasn't sure that Tsukiko would still hear him, he still said what he _hoped_ would be taken as a threat: "Good help is so hard to find these days." No answer awaited him. Once again, Ryuuji sighed and made his way down the staircase.

The black-haired youth slowed down as he neared the bottom of the staircase, deciding to make a grand entrance. Though he didn't do it often, Ryuuji enjoyed making 'grand entrances.' They often played an important role in a observer's first opinion of you...and could sometimes also be played to your own advantage. Demo...

Why was he doing so with Honda-kun?

Nibbling his bottom lip in thought, he began to twist a strand of hair around his finger. Many people thought that because of this habit (not to mention his longer than normal hair)--he was gay. It may or may not be true--Ryuuji didn't particularly care and he held all rumors in contempt. Demo... _Why_ did he feel as if he needed to make a grand entrance around Honda-kun. Iie... It didn't matter any longer; he would think on it later.

"Kon'nichi wa, Honda-kun," Ryuuji said, smiling slightly at the taller youth as he stepped off the last step. He titled his head to one side and continued to play with his hair, not even aware that he was doing so.

Hiroto blinked and looked up from the card packs that he had been examining. His brown eyes seemed to soften for a moment--but that moment was gone in a flash. He bowed slightly, "Kon'nichi wa, Otogi-kun."

And the two continued to stare at each other for several long moments, neither willing to break the silence and each waiting for the other to make the first move. Demo...

Which one _would_ make the first move?

  
  
  
  



	2. Roll The Dice

Jaded Dice

By: Neko-chan

  
  


A/N: Firstly,---

Yami Bakura: Is firstly even a word, Neko-baka?

*knocks Yami Bakura out* Apparently, it is; Corel Word Perfect hasn't brought attention to it. Anyway, firstly I would like to thank all my reviewers for the wonderful things they said! *tackle glomps* You guys are great! Secondly, I would like to tell PM that she needs to put warnings on her picture links and reviews. -.-;; But we already talked about that, ne? *bouncy* Thirdly, I hope you guys enjoy the second chapter! Ja ne!

~Once again, PM, this fic is for you. ^_~ Hope ya enjoy it!

WARNING: SHOUNEN-AI! No like? Then don't read!

DISCLAIMER: Oh, Blaaa~aaackie!

BM:...Neko-baka--*coughs* I mean, Neko-CHAN--doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. And she never will. The end. *goes back to studying his dark spell book*

...that's IT? THAT'S the disclaimer?!

BM: *still reading spell book* Mmm-hmmm...

...*starts thinking that she should get Yami or Ryuuji to do this job* D

  
  
  
  


Chapter Two

Ryuuji Otogi, premier DDM player and all around game genius (tying with Seto Kaiba and Yuugi Mutou, of course), was at a loss for words. Still idly twining the black lock of hair around his finger, he continued to look at Honda with cat-like emerald eyes. He was at a loss for words and he didn't like it--didn't like it _at all._

Being at a loss for words was a loss of control--and control was something that Ryuuji took pride in. Nothing phased him; he was continuously calm and collected. Even around Honda. _Especially_ around Honda. Even now, thinking about upon it all, the feelings that he felt for Honda were still new and strange...he had never felt this way about anyone else. Not that he would willingly admit THAT anytime in the near future, or ever if he had his own way. (Why did Tsukiko's face suddenly appear in his mind, raising an eye dubiously? Damn the old man, anyway. He couldn't possibly know...could he? And if he did, Tsukiko _couldn't_ possibly understand what he felt. He just couldn't. ...the image's eyebrow raised further. Ryuuji squished down an almost insane urge to stick out his tongue childishly.)

Honda blinked and stared at Ryuuji quizzically. The taller (though not by much) youth seemed to be making faces at himself, grumbling about someone named 'Tsukiko-san' under his breath. Honda blinked again. "Ano... Otogi-kun?"

Ryuuji started in surprise and stared at Honda, his green eyes wide. "Nani, Honda-kun?"

"...why were you making faces at yourself?"

Laughing nervously, Ryuuji's hair-twining intensified. "Ne... I wasn't making faces at myself, Honda-kun. Just... Ano... Just... Practicing the different face expressions I'll need for my next photo shoot. ... Anyway! Why are you here, Honda-kun? No one else is with you."

The brunette smiled softly and answered by saying: "Well, I just decided to finally take you up on your offer, Otogi-kun. I know that it's been awhile since you offered, but I decided... Why not? And so I'm here."

Ryuuji smiled softly and his hands finally fell away from his hair. Walking softly over the tiled floor, he made his way over to Honda and picked up the card packet that he had been looking at with so much interest. Duel Monsters. Of course. But with a best friend who held the undisputed title of 'Game King,' Honda _would_ have to be interested in Duel Monsters. True, Ryuuji knew that Honda had a deck himself--but he had never seen the brunette play. A pity, really.

"What offer was that, Honda-kun? I can't seem to remember..."

But of course he did. He had made the offer in the heat of the moment--finding out that your game was going to be taken up and distributed worldwide--often tended to do that to people. After he finally realized how rash he had been in making the offer (and how stupid it had been, as well), he wanted to mentally kick himself. That all changed when no one ever stopped by his Game Shop to take him up on his offer. And a feeling of...loneliness...surrounded him. He didn't like it. Not one bit.

The tall youth turned red and looked down, still fiddling nervously with the Duel Monster pack. "Eh... Never mind then, Otogi-kun. I guess you don't remember. You had offered to teach Jyounouchi 'n' myself how to play DDM. Gomen nasai about bringing it up if you've forgotten about it. It's just that I was talking to Shizuka-chan last night and I asked her for help with a problem of mine...and then I told her about your offer...and then she said that I should finally take you up on it. Stupid, ne?"

Ryuuji shrugged idly and turned around, making his way upstairs. "Iie, I don't think it's stupid, Honda-kun. So don't worry about it." He finally paused when he was about halfway up the stairway, looking over his shoulder at Honda with large green eyes. When Ryuuji noticed that Honda _wasn't_ following him, he frowned and raised an eyebrow, once again twisting a lock of black hair around his finger. "Well? Aren't you coming up, Honda-kun? The DDM machines were moved upstairs."

In reply, Honda put down the card pack and bounded up the stairs, taking each step two at a time, quickly catching up with Ryuuji in seconds. However, Ryuuji just smiled slightly once again and continued onward, the duo slowly making their way to the dueling pit. "Be prepared for the hardest game you'll ever play, Honda-kun..." the creator of DDM caroled over one slim shoulder.

Honda smiled in response. He was about to play a game, alright--just not the one that Ryuuji expected. And it was true--this game _was_ going to be the hardest game that he'd ever play. The stakes were higher, too.

But he could only hope that he would end up the winner in _this_ game.

  
  
  
  


A/N: Grrr... Short chapter. *kills shortness of chapter* Promise that from next chapter on, length WILL be longer! *pinkie promises* Really, they will! Anyway, see minna-san next chapter! Ja ne! *waves*


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